Monthly Archive for March, 2007

Forgotten 80’s alternapop awesomeness. Reminds me of the radio when it could be a force for random smiles or angst, in a good way. Driving in a car, or being a passenger in a friends ’62 Dart. With the side vent windows. For resting your foot. Getting a slurpee. That sort of thing. Oh look! Zero comments. Who cares, a good tune. This song is from 1989, but has a wistful “must be older than that” feeling. Guadalcanal Diary were from Georgia, and the video below, for Watusi Rodeo (a much earlier song), could possibly be the only one every aired on MTV. It is worth it for the intro with Nina.

So I am kind of on a spacy, psychedelic, stonery, retro kick. Sue me. The Black Mountain self-titled is great. This song is OK, but not even close to the best, there are more interesting, diverse tracks on the album. My current fave is the spookier druggy Neu! amalgam “No Hit.” The most interesting part of the albums are certain touches that seem un-sinister turned druggy and sinister, such as hand claps and tasteful female backing vocals. The main dude in this band is also responsible for the band Pink Mountaintops, a folkier, countrier, equally druggy, retro, and awesome as Black Mountain. Check out “Plastic Man, You’re the Devil” on the previously linked myspace page.

Went to the Shins concert tonight, which was expectedly awesome. But there is very little interesting to write about seeing one of the best bands today at the top of their game. No, the actual massive surprise was from the opening band, Viva Voce, who kicked almost as much ass as The Shins did. OK, maybe half that ass, but that’s still an impressive ass and way more than the typical 3 Bulls half-ass. Viva Voce, who announced their name about six times during the show and added that they are from Portland, Oregon, are the classic husband/wife team. Kevin plays the drums, sings, and occasionally rocks out on the acoustic guitar, whereas Anita is a guitar goddess of the highest decree. She also has a great voice, and really should become Chuckles new rock crush, Eleanor Friedberger be damned. Their music ranges from almost ’60s-era folk rock to complete Yo La Tengo free-form freakouts, and they are witty and play with aplomb.

Most of the songs they performed, all of them excellent, were from their new album Get Yr Blood Sucked Out. The best song from the set was this track, nicely put to a cheeky video. Musically, it is not representative of the other tracks, but it’s really goddamned catchy. The song evokes a little Grateful Dead and some music that Pinko Punko totally knows and I just can’t get to the tip of my fingers. But it’s good in a familiar and awesome way. Anyway, check out the video and check out their other songs as their myspace page. We Do Not F*ck Around is another super good track, of which they opened and closed with different variations on the song.

This is another band that had name trouble at some point, so they now record as The Broken West. I think they used to be called Brokedown or something. They are opening on Sunday night for the Walkmen at Schuba’s (a very brave second show of the evening for the Walkmen).

This is off of their first full length I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On. It’s sort of powery pop with a little bit of grunginess around the edges. But the whole thing is pretty accessible melodically, which should be a nice counter to the Walkmen, who I believe are kind of an acquired taste (outside of maybe “The Rat” and “Little House of Savages”).

This song didn’t jump out at me as the best of the lot the first couple of times I listened to the album, but the more I listen, the more this one stands out. No videos yet, except for some live stuff on Youtube. Here’s the Pitchfork review. Enjoy.

For whatever reason, the Animals are exceptionally blameworthy™ in certain respects, in various outlets, or at least this sentiment of dudely getting done wronged attests. I still love the Animals sound, though. This song isn’t quite “It’s My Life” but there aren’t women as hunting trophies (wtf?) in this performance, either.

Sometimes you just gotta go with it. The song that most predicts “Stairway to Heaven” and every other electrified rock cheese ballad to infinity. This is not to say that it isn’t awesome. What are you going to do? How can we be immeasurably cooler than you all the time?